Sunday, July 27, 2008

RAGBRAI

RAGBRAI: Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa

Iowa has this tradition that is the worlds biggest bike ride. It is called RAGBRAI and it is a week long event, with ~15,000 riders (10,000 registered and ? unregistered riders). Riders start on the west side of the state with their back tires in the Missouri River and ride across the entire state along a route that changes every year to do the 'Mississippi Dip,' or put there front tire in the Mississippi River. The next two picture show a large group of people arriving to the final destination of Le Claire and then lining up for their dip.

Iowa cities have really friendly and warm downtowns.


I had heard about it last year when I moved here. This year I did the last day of riding. It was a huge party on wheels, niles of corn fields, an occasional water tower, and intermittent pig farms that make your nose hairs curl.




I am so excited for next year. I am saving vacation so that I can do the entire thing. I'll just move my rack from my commuter bike to my road bike and haul my tent, sleeping pad and bag, and whatever else I need for an entire week. I have several friends that did the entire things this year so I have a fun group to go with. There was a lot of positive energy and the people of Iowa in all of the small towns throw a big party for all of the bikers.





Nothing says 55 miles of biking better then stopping f or a savory pork chop at mile 30. I am so excited for next year. What a great state with fantastic family traditions. To all my family, we should plan on this for next year or the year after. It was so much fun. I saw several five person families with a tandem bike with a pedal chariot on the back and a double chariot for the smaller kids being pulled behind the first chariot. It was awesome!!!!!

Monday, July 7, 2008

4th of July and Jazz Festival

We had great seats for the Iowa City 4th of July fireworks show. They launched from Hubbard Park on the Iowa River.


Because we sat nestled in the classic buildings that make up the UI pentacrest (on the front steps of the old iowa state capitol building) I felt like I was seeing a fireworks show from our nations capital.



The old iowa state capital building is behind and above me. It was a spectacular sight with the fireworks.


The next night My room mate and I took our neighbors Su and Megan out to the Jazz Festival. It was a really fun night. The weather was gorgeous. We had pork on a stick, fried rice, and gelato. Afterwards we went up to the Coralville dam and took a look at the spill way. It was the perfect evening.

More Flood Pictures



















Devastation on Normandy!







Escape Dog!

I don't know how they did it but some how these dogs opened the back of the van! The white spotted dog jumped out when we came to a stop light.